Intact Artifacts Found in Byzantine Garbage Pit

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL—As excavations continue at the agricultural hinterlands of the ancient city of Apollonia-Arsuf, archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University have unearthed a large garbage pit containing intact objects. “In the midst of the many sherds that were discovered in the big refuse pit was a large amount of usable artifacts, whose presence in the pit raises questions. Among other things, more than four hundred coins were found which are mostly Byzantine, including one gold coin, as well as two hundred whole and intact Samaritan lamps, among them lamps that were never used, rings and gold jewelry,” said Oren Tal of Tel Aviv University and Moshe Ajami of the Israel Antiquities Authority.